In addition to celery and peaches,strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries and nectarines made the "Dirty Dozen" list. Onions, avocados and sweet corn remain the cleanest produce, along with cantaloupe, grapefruit and honeydew which were tested for the first time.

This year, domestic and imported cultivated blueberries were included in the analysis. Wild blueberries, typically packaged as frozen blueberries, were not tested. Like domestic blueberries, imported version also ranked near the bottom of the list.

EWG, an advocacy group, says consumers can lower their pesticide consumption by nearly four-fifths by avoiding conventionally grown varieties of the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables. Eating non-organic produce from the Dirty Dozen list exposes individuals to an average of 10 pesticides a day, versus two per day when eating from the Clean Fifteen list, EWG says.

Though EWG says "buying organic is always the best choice," a new review of existing research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found a lack of evidence showing that organic produce has health benefits beyond conventional versions because so few relevant studies – 12 -- have been conducted.

In addition, the studies often don’t consider the impact of pesticide residues, a major reason why people choose organic. There’s also little data on how farming practices affect the environment and personal health.

"Given that so few studies have been carried out and the difficulty of establishing solid linkages between any aspect of diet and public health outcomes, it is not surprising that the evidence is limited on the nutrition-related health impacts of organic food," said Chuck Benbrook, chief scientist at The Organic Center in Oregon.

Benbrook said it's actually "encouraging" that three of the 12 studies identified by the researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine showed evidence of a positive health impact with organic food.

"When coupled with the increasingly powerful evidence of human health and environmental benefits from lessened exposure to pesticides, the nutritional benefits of organic food, while poorly understood, are nonetheless, icing on the cake,” Benbrook said.

Fruits and vegetables were the holy grail of human nourishment and we have contaminated our supply.
The "supercenter" stores created this problem by importing fruits and vegetables from 3rd world countries. The first clue is: Why does Montezuma's revenge still persist in Mexico? The use of filthy (sewage) water to irrigate the fruits and vegetables is a main reason. Then pesticides are used (which are 50 times stronger than the allowable limit) to make the products "perfect-looking" for the store shelves.
But they taste terrible!!!
Our own government was extorted by lobbyists to weaken the FDA and its regulatory oversight of imported food.
Now you know why the Tea Party is gaining strength in America. Any politician that turns a deaf ear to this problem is being targeted for replacement. America belongs to the people; not corporations.

I always keep a list of high-pesticide produce to avoid when shopping. This helps me keep my grocery budget but still buy some orgnaic produce. As for if it's healthier or not, I just don't really want all those chemicals entering my body. There may be a lack of studies, but I'm eating as organic as possible.

We grow both organic and conventional produce. Both are good for you. The USDA report clearly indicates that 98.2% of their tests indicate no pesticides were found. Those found are likely from from spray drift of neghboring crops not direct sprays. Why, because the levels inidcate pesticides not commonly used on those crops. A grower will not use expensive chemicals if they are not necessary.

Eat more produce, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables are better for you than anything else you can consume. Organic or conventional the health benefits from a large consumption of fruits and vegetables are fact. Even if you replace consumption of salty, fatty, sugary snacks or foods the benefits clearly outweigh any negative. Remember whether conventional or organic all fruit and vegetable have applied some type of pest control. There are pros and cons to each. Organic pesticides are naturally derived by plant toxins or mined chemicals. Also conventional pesticides have been extensively tested by the manufacture and EPA. Regulations covering pesticides are many times more strict than even human drugs.

The best that you can do for your health is to eat more of all fresh fruits and vegetables all types and do not distinguish between organic or conventional. Be smart, rinse or wash, don't place raw items on dirty countertops or cutting boards and wash your hands. Keep your ant sprays, grass chemicals and cleaning solutions far away from your children and your countertops. You will have more pesticides in your closet, garage or under your sink then you will ever be exposed to by eating fresh fruits and vegetables.